cannabisnews.com: Raids Net Pounds of Pot-Laced Candy










  Raids Net Pounds of Pot-Laced Candy

Posted by CN Staff on March 17, 2006 at 08:11:11 PT
By Angela Hill, Staff Writer 
Source: Oakland Tribune 

Oakland -- It looks like candy, but check the label on the Keef Kat or the Pot Tarts: "This product contains cannabis and is for medical purposes only." Hundreds of boxes of such pot-laced candy, treats and soda pop — all with labels mimicking name-brand products — plus thousands of marijuana plants, $150,000 in cash and several weapons were seized Thursday in five simultaneous Drug Enforcement Administration raids in Oakland, Emeryville and Lafayette. Authorities called it the largest West Coast manufacturing and distribution operation of its type.
Twelve people were arrested without incident, DEA Special Agent Javier Pena said as he displayed samples of the candy and sodas in DEA offices in the federal building in downtown Oakland. Suspect Kenneth Affolter, 39, of Lafayette was identified as the head of the candy-making operation. All 12 suspects will be arraigned today in San Francisco federal court on charges of distribution of marijuana. "We've seen a few of these products out there, but never in this magnitude," DEA Special Agent Lawrence Mendosa said. "It's the largest marijuana factory we've ever seen. Hundreds and hundreds of boxes. They were cooking the candies in a kitchen facility, labeling, packaging it and shipping it, mainly from the Oakland warehouse on the Emeryville border. "But the real concern is for public safety," he said. "If a 4- or 5-year-old who is too young to read finds this in a house, picks it up and eats it thinking it's real candy, it could be disastrous." The Oakland-area investigation began in October, when authorities received information that Affolter was operating Beyond Bomb, a manufacturer of marijuana candy. Nearly 70 agents served three warrants Thursday at warehouses on the Oakland-Emeryville border, including a warehouse on Yerba Buena Avenue near Adeline. One warrant was served in downtown Oakland at a narrow, nondescript building at 1740 Telegraph Ave., and another at Affolter's Lafayette residence. Agents found four sophisticated indoor marijuana growing areas, thousands of marijuana plants, about $150,000 in cash, two semiautomatic weapons, one revolver and hundreds of pot-laced packaged candy bars, snacks and soft drinks. "It was basically various manufacturing locations and sophisticated growing operations," Mendosa said. "The products we seized are likely worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. It's a very lucrative business." He said the products were packaged in large boxes, wholesale-style, to be distributed to cannabis clubs and over the Internet. Oakland medical marijuana advocate Angel Raich — who coincidentally was arrested Thursday in front of the federal building for disobeying an officer's commands while protesting recent Southern California DEA raids — said these were legitimate medical marijuana manufacturers under California law. "They were all real operations," Raich said. "The one on Telegraph, they make candy for the dispensaries. It's for medical purposes." Mendosa said that's not a factor. "It's illegal under federal law. Period," he said. At first glance, the products appear as well-known name-brand products with modified names, such as Munchy Way, Rasta Reece's, Buddafingers, Pot Tarts, Keef Kat, Twixed, Budtella and Toka-Cola. The packaging comes complete with nutrition labels and dosage recommendations. The Richmond, Oakland, Vallejo and Lafayette police departments assisted in the probe, along with the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, the Contra Costa County Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Alameda County Narcotics Task Force. Note: Feds arrest 12, seize marijuana plants, cash and weapons from massive East Bay operation.Source: Oakland Tribune, The (CA)Author: Angela Hill, Staff WriterPublished: March 17, 2006Copyright: 2006 MediaNews Group, Inc. and ANG NewspapersContact: triblet angnewspapers.comWebsite: http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Related Article & Web Site:Angel Justicehttp://www.angeljustice.org/ DEA Raids East Bay Medical Pot Distributorhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21668.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 

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Comment #50 posted by whig on March 19, 2006 at 20:17:39 PT
FoM
All I know about Gypsy Nirvana and Marc Emery is they both seem to dislike one another, but I've got no particular reason to think either one is a bad person. I'm sure both of them have made mistakes, all of us have made mistakes too. But I'm not fully informed, either. I don't know either of them personally, I've never seen the video you mentioned, and I might feel differently if I had. I just think we've got too much in common to be condemning one another, and I even try to express the idea that we should love our enemies, so why not love our allies? We can still disagree with one another when necessary, and feel free to criticise constructively. I think this thread about the confectionary has been a good example of that. Few of us seem to think what these people did was an entirely good idea, and few of us seem to think we'd want to buy their products, but we don't want them persecuted either.
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Comment #49 posted by Hope on March 19, 2006 at 19:48:01 PT
Some of that
"Pot laced candy".
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Comment #48 posted by Hope on March 19, 2006 at 19:46:43 PT
Adam Sandler comes to mind...
"Gimme some candy!"
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Comment #47 posted by FoM on March 19, 2006 at 19:39:17 PT
BGreen
I really don't know the laws on seed sales. I only know that Marc Emery is in trouble. Maybe Gyspy didn't conduct business with the U.S. I have no emotional attachment with this person. When I say seed sales are illegal it was and is because I thought if our country is involved it is illegal. That's what happened to ME.
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Comment #46 posted by BGreen on March 19, 2006 at 18:42:54 PT
What Gypsy does is legal in his country
US law doesn't mean crap when you live in another country, even if this administration feels otherwise.I don't know what that video was but it seems it was something meant to ruin the reputation of Gypsy.I don't like mean people either, Hope, and neither do my friends. I've never met or heard anything about the kind of guy FoM saw on that video, just a nice guy who was friendly and gracious to Mrs. Green and me. That's why I feel comfortable defending Gypsy.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #45 posted by FoM on March 19, 2006 at 18:13:09 PT
Hope
We know a couple mean people. They can be very entertaining and nice when they want to be nice but you know better then to make them angry. They aren't my friends because I shouldn't have fear of my friends. 
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Comment #44 posted by Hope on March 19, 2006 at 17:53:22 PT
Mean people 
Don't like them. Don't want to be around them. Don't want to know them. Just want to avoid them and want everyone else to avoid them...no matter how much hair that they have or don't have.
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Comment #43 posted by FoM on March 19, 2006 at 17:25:40 PT

BGreen 
I must go by my impression. Both me and my husband watched the video together and couldn't believe the way he was acting. Maybe the video is around somewhere where you can see it. I just don't know where it would be. What he does or did is illegal. I purposely have avoided seed wars. I saw fighting going on early on when I got a computer and never cared to learn more about it all. It never was an interest of mine. I just want to help change the laws.
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Comment #42 posted by BGreen on March 19, 2006 at 17:12:37 PT

I don't believe that video tells the real story
Gypsy is large, and I wouldn't want to get him angry, but we have mutual friends and I've never heard anything as bad as you're saying, FoM.We talked about his mom and other equally violent topics so I really don't know why you have such a negative reaction towards him.I can't say what US organizations he's contributed to, but I do know that he sold the same products as the Canadian companies at about 1/5th the retail price, plus gave away free product with the instructions to give them to a friend so more people could get involved in the hobby.Gypsy was an actor in his younger days, so do you think maybe that has something to do with this video?I can appear to be a hard-a$$ if I want, but I'm really a gentle teddy bear.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #41 posted by FoM on March 19, 2006 at 12:18:09 PT

Hope 
I'm glad it made you laugh. He was really not the kind of person I would want to invite to my house for a Sunday dinner. He had a mean demeanor. I like gentle men with or without hair.
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Comment #40 posted by Hope on March 19, 2006 at 12:11:10 PT

FoM...I couldn't help but laugh...
"He was bald and mean looking."---------Hey, Jose! 
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Comment #39 posted by jose melendez on March 19, 2006 at 11:20:18 PT

High Hope
Hi Hope,I got a kick out of the Patriot Act Game also:http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/03/18/D8GEA4PG0.html - - -Drug War, Patriot Act, What's the Difference?http://www.drugwar.com/pciadrugsconnections.shtm
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Comment #38 posted by FoM on March 19, 2006 at 11:05:05 PT

BGreen 
I had it on my computer until my hard drive crashed. The man was suppose to be Gypsy. He was bald and mean looking. He got in someone face really bad. If it was for entertainment it was cruel and if was for real it was down right scary.
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Comment #37 posted by Hope on March 19, 2006 at 11:01:43 PT

Jose, comment 27
That Patriot Act game is brilliant. From the article you posted, " "I've had people complain to me that when they play, nobody wins. They say `We're all in Guantanamo and nobody has any civil liberties left,'" he said. "I'm like `Yeah, that's the point.'""
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Comment #36 posted by BGreen on March 19, 2006 at 10:54:13 PT

I don't know what video you're talking about
What did I miss?The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #35 posted by Hope on March 19, 2006 at 10:53:15 PT

Sam, Comment 24
Day of the Triphids!A big deal in our family since the youngest daughter was traumatized by it for years. I was very careful about what they watched. We didn't even have a TV for seven years for that reason, and one afternoon after Sunday dinner at her grandparents house, I noticed her standing, transfixed, in front of the TV. She was eight or nine years old. I checked what she was so mesmerized by, Day of the Triphids, and thought it would probably be ok. It wasn't!Nightmares. Fear of odd looking or tall weeds. She still gets teased about it occasionally to this day.Prohibitionist fear of the plant is as unnatural as fear of Triphids.To get the full effect of their fear across to others, perhaps they should just say, "Cannabis/Triphid".
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Comment #34 posted by FoM on March 19, 2006 at 10:19:57 PT

user123 
Welcome to CNews. This is what I think. They want to dis-assemble anything related to Cannabis. I call it kill it before it grows.
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Comment #33 posted by user123 on March 19, 2006 at 09:59:02 PT:

Bay Area
These candies have been at Bay Area dispenseries for over 4 years now. Why the sudden intrest now? They are way over priced and hardly work most of the time. As for the children, I've never seen one news article about any kids using this stuff. Besides, what kid spends $10 on one candy bar? $12 for a soda?
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Comment #32 posted by FoM on March 19, 2006 at 08:48:09 PT

Whig
I understand what you mean. I have no problem with people making money. We need it to live and that's a fact. What I mind is when money becomes the main purpose. Then it isn't any different to me then what we fight every day in the politics of our country and world. 
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Comment #31 posted by whig on March 19, 2006 at 08:40:19 PT

FoM
I missed the video, I guess. I do think everyone who is involved in this movement commercially has a problem being clear minded. This isn't to condemn people, because I understand people can have good motivations and be trying to help, but there gets to be a sort of mixed loyalty when someone is also concerned about a bottom line.I can tell you from when I was involved in electronic music parties, when money was riding on events it definitely messed with the whole community. Different people would wind up competing with one another, and it got hurtful to the scene. I was as guilty of this as anyone could be, and between myself and one other person we pretty much ruined the whole thing here. Mea culpa. In my defense I really thought the other person was doing things wrong, taking unreasonable chances, and I wanted to set a better example. But the other person almost certainly thought the same of me. And we were both probably right, but it didn't need to become a poisonous atmosphere. We did that to ourselves, and then there were no more events because we bankrupted one another and we disgusted everyone including ourselves.Am I disgraced now?
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Comment #30 posted by FoM on March 19, 2006 at 08:24:48 PT

BGreen
If he is nice and dedicated to reform I just have never seen anything anywhere. The video was not nice to see for me. When a person in fun or in reality bullies another I turn off to everything else they think or say. That's my nature. Did he support NORML or MPP or any organization? 
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Comment #29 posted by BGreen on March 19, 2006 at 07:57:16 PT

I met Gypsy
I liked him and I think the feeling was mutual. We talked for quite awhile and he was a very gracious person.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #28 posted by whig on March 19, 2006 at 06:57:47 PT

Max
I'm not up on the history of IC, but it seems to be where a lot of the Overgrow people wound up. I don't know anything about whether or how Gypsy Nirvana was disgraced.
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Comment #27 posted by jose Melendez on March 19, 2006 at 02:58:22 PT

parody peddlers
I think the lollipops were a stroke of genius that inspired debate and forced the antis to react predictably. If we can get them into a virtual corner with a window, they WILL jump through, so we should set traps for the prohibitionists on the other side such as a series of unending lawsuits . . . - - --jmConcerned Citizens Coalition to Criminalize Prohibition - Million Marijuana LawsuitsCannabis Church - Marijuana MissionHoly Sacramental - Cannabis Capsuleshttp://CCCCP.org 
Parody: Uncreative, or right?
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Comment #26 posted by Max Flowers on March 19, 2006 at 00:52:17 PT

Canna-candy
I'm not suggesting that the pot candymakers did anything inherently evil or anything like that---my issue with them is that in a situation like this (the touchy state of the medical cannabis movement), you don't flout and flaunt stuff the way they did. They did the movement a big disservice. The smart and decent thing to do is be discreet and not high-profile and provocative. With the whole fake-beloved-national-brands-of-candy thing they went out of their way to be smartass and provocative. (that's just my opinion.)I see a lot of this "faking major brands" stuff and it's just lame to me. Another example: disgraced (former?) seed seller `Gypsy Nirvana' made his website called "International Cannagraphic" and spoofed the logo of National Geographic (another beloved national icon). To me that's just uncreative, and lame. Make up your own identity instead of ripping off someone else's.
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Comment #25 posted by Sam Adams on March 18, 2006 at 09:13:35 PT

lying - does anyone care
Metallica articulates my feelings perfectly, from the "...and Justice for All" album:When a man lies he murdersSome part of the worldThese are the pale deaths whichMen miscall their livesAll this I cannot bearTo witness any longerCannot the kingdom of salvationTake me homeOr look at this even more apropos:http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/metallica/andjusticeforall.html#2
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Comment #24 posted by Sam Adams on March 18, 2006 at 09:02:47 PT

article below
Oh, I love this one - "The converted warehouse at Sixth and Allston streets is not far from several restaurants, homes and businesses."ha ha ha! What where they expecting, Day of the Trifids? (the science fiction movie where 10-foot angry plants devour England). This is so absurd - the warehouse was near homes & businesses. I'm getting so tired of living in a society where total bullsh** is the norm.  The constant lying is so tiresome. Doesn't anyone care about integrity anymore?
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on March 18, 2006 at 07:46:34 PT

Berkeley Police Dismantle Huge Pot Operation
7 arrested; weapons, thousands of plants are seized in culmination of five-month investigationBy Kristin Bender, Staff Writer 
 
March 18, 2006
  
 
BERKELEY — In what police called the biggest Berkeley police-led marijuana bust in recent history, investigators have seized 5,000 marijuana plants, more than 120 pounds of dried pot, stacks of cash and handguns from seven locations in four cities, police said. 
Seven men with ties to Oakland, Brentwood and Castro Valley were arrested at a converted West Berkeley warehouse at 809 Allston St. on Wednesday. They face charges of possession of marijuana for sale, cultivation of marijuana and weapons possession violations, said Officer Ed Galvan, Berkeley police spokesman. "This is the largest marijuana bust that anyone can remember in recent history," Galvan said Friday. "This was just huge ... and very, very professional, with state-of-the-art equipment." Investigators believe thegrowing operation had been running for at least two years. The investigation has been going on for five months. Police said the growers — found with an estimated $500,000 worth of dried marijuana ready for street sales — had a high-end charcoal filtration 
  
 The Berkeley Police Department Special Enforcement Unit shut down a marijuana growing operation in Berkeley on Wednesday. 
 
system that lifted the smell of marijuana from the air. "If you walked by the building you could not smell it because of the system," Galvan said. The converted warehouse at Sixth and Allston streets is not far from several restaurants, homes and businesses. 
 Complete Article: http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_3616092
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Comment #22 posted by Hope on March 17, 2006 at 23:34:32 PT

That article you just posted in the comment...
They appear to be actually reporting both sides of the story, the entire story. How refreshing. Would, that that would be a new trend throughout media.
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on March 17, 2006 at 22:58:24 PT

Related Article from The San Francisco Chronicle
Bitter Fight Over Sweet Pot Treats ***Drug agents fear candies appeal to kids -- medical marijuana users insist they're legalHenry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff WriterSaturday, March 18, 2006 
   They had colorful labels and names such as Trippy, Stoney Rancher, Toka-Cola, Pot Tart and Budtella. To federal drug agents, they were dangerous marijuana-laced concoctions that could fall into the hands of children. But to sick patients who rely on cannabis to ease their symptoms, they were just tasty ways to get their medicine -- and legal under California law. Federal agents who converged on several of what they called "marijuana candy factories" in the East Bay on Thursday seized hundreds of sodas and candies laced with marijuana in what they said was the largest bust of its kind on the West Coast. Authorities say the drug is illegal no matter what form it takes, especially marijuana candy products that mimic mainstream candies and are attractive to youths. But angry medical-marijuana patients said Friday that investigators are blowing smoke and that the raids in Oakland and Emeryville on Thursday are just the latest proof that federal investigators are running roughshod over local and state laws that allow for medicinal cannabis use. In 1996, California voters approved Proposition 215, which allows the use of marijuana for medical purposes with a doctor's recommendation. Despite the law, authorities -- from the California Highway Patrol to the Drug Enforcement Administration -- have pounced on local marijuana-growing operations in the Bay Area, including locations in San Francisco and Sonoma County in December. The candy-factory raids are the latest crackdown. "I think the government is once again trying to create terror through our community," said Angel Raich, 40, of Oakland, who uses the drug to treat pain, nausea and seizures associated with a brain tumor and a wasting syndrome. "I do know for a fact that medical-cannabis candy and those kinds of products are in the dispensaries, and patients do use them." Rick Steeb, 55, of San Jose, who uses marijuana to treat the pain from glaucoma, said he's "never seen (the candy) outside the dispensaries. It's not like they were being sold in convenience stores." Snipped:Complete Article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/18/POTCANDY.TMP
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Comment #20 posted by ekim on March 17, 2006 at 20:32:47 PT

anyone from Mi ------
James Woolsey has been the number one lobby person for the Hemp Industry for
years. www.thehia.org
 why is not one college teaching cellulose ethanol in a time of national
need.this is after all the auto captial of the World.
to bad this event is not in Ann Arbor
 as the --34-th-- hash bash on April 1. Ya that's 34 years the people have
been begging for Cannabis to be regulated!Hemp 77% celluloseWhile corn is primarily used to distill ethanol, a new facility in Spain
will convert wheat straw as the ethanol's feedstock.The full story is available at
 This is a pdf overview of NREL/Genencor work from 2003.
http://www.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/genencor_esp_review.pdfHere is an NREL Press release about Genencor/NREL winning a Top 100 R&D
award in 2004.
http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2004/3404_technologies_lauded.htmlRegister Today!This event is free and open to the public. Our Regional Directors are
spreading the word on college campuses, and speakers are confirming. Please
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Comment #19 posted by mayan on March 17, 2006 at 18:31:52 PT

Priorities?
Never mind that there is supposedly a terrorist threat to sports arenas around the country while the NCAA basketball tournament is going on! Every federal agent should be focused on terrorism, shouldn't they?THE WAY OUT...NEW YORKERS TO PROTEST SPITZER FOR 9/11 COVER-UP, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22nd, 12-2 PM: 
http://www.yourbbsucks.com/forum/showthread.php?p=54926#post54926
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on March 17, 2006 at 16:41:36 PT

global_warming 
Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too.
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Comment #17 posted by global_warming on March 17, 2006 at 16:40:02 PT

wish to wish
a happy ST. Patrick DayTo that man who chased out the snakes out of Ireland.We could use such a man here in the United States,For 'we those peopleAre not united,We continue to beat each otherWith every tool that God has given as LawThere is a green worldThat belongs to the Stars
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Comment #16 posted by global_warming on March 17, 2006 at 16:04:44 PT

So nicely said Sam
There is no doubt in my mind.They will sob in their shanties, and they do not remember how they got there.They may cry to God, long have past the days, when men and women like Cheney, have long been forgotten and the legacy of poison they have left behind, a poison that will stink to the heavens, a poison that will fill our nostrils, for many generations.
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Comment #15 posted by charmed quark on March 17, 2006 at 16:01:33 PT

No - it won't kill the kids
And given how weak some of you said it was, it probably wouldn't get them unpleasantly high. But still -- come on. That's no way to distribute medicine.Of course, when the DEA says "what about the children" you know it's for some other reason. I'm sure the bust had nothing to do with protecting children but was them pushing their anti-medical agenda.I do wonder how such a manufacturing operation is legal under 215. 215 allows the growing and transportation of cannabis only by patients or their designated caretakers, no?I know the dispensaries typically get designated as a caretaker by patients who are members of the coop. But how does a manufacturing and distribution operation get designated a caretaker?Of course, in the Bay area they generally let it slide if it is a legit medical operation, which this one apparently was.
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Comment #14 posted by Sam Adams on March 17, 2006 at 15:46:02 PT

disaster?
"But the real concern is for public safety," he said. "If a 4- or 5-year-old who is too young to read finds this in a house, picks it up and eats it thinking it's real candy, it could be disastrous."Actually, if the kid eats it, he or she will be safer than if they ingest almost any other medicine in the cabinet, and probably the vast majority of household items as well. My medicine cabinet is stocked with pills that could kill with only a handful of tablets. GW, I am on the same page with you. It's not hard to see how our society will collapse. Can there be any doubt the Greater Depression lies ahead? Remember in school when they taught us the causes of the Great Depression, how people had invested too much on margin? Anything from the 20's pales in comparison to today, it's not even close. Most Americans are in debt up to their necks. I saw an article yesterday saying that the American govt. debt is equal to $1500 for every single man, woman, and child on Earth! How many more hurricanes will it take to bankrupt us? What happens when the North Atlantic current shuts down and Western Europe becomes like Northern Canada? Everybody starves, that's what. It won't even take a full year to happen.How sad. The future is going to look back at the brazen, greedy men like Cheney & company and sob as they huddle in their shanties.
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Comment #13 posted by global_warming on March 17, 2006 at 15:22:26 PT

Talk about bloat
"Nearly 70 agents served three warrants.."America must truly be the land where even the streets are paved with gold.In the meantime, I keep hearing on the news about some record breaking government spending, even the debt ceiling was recently raised by congress, its in the trillions of dollars, that is, Americans Tax Dollars.They keep squeezing and squeezing, big government just keeps getting bigger and bigger, lest we forget, that is also known as "rendering unto ceaser".
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Comment #12 posted by whig on March 17, 2006 at 15:08:17 PT

Max
Regarding the weapons, it looks bad, but I'm thinking maybe they were concerned about being robbed. Most jewelry stores have armed guards, too. Unfortunately federal law being what it is, they made a bigger prosecutorial target of themselves.I'm not saying these people weren't just pursuing profits, and I'm not a big fan of it, nor would I be particularly interested in their products, especially at a high price and low potency, but I also don't see where they injured or threatened anyone. There might be a civil trademarks issue if they made their products look too much like commercial brands. In all, it looks like a really bad idea gone wrong in so many ways, but this is such an overreaction, as usual.
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Comment #11 posted by MaRkAyNe on March 17, 2006 at 15:03:41 PT

No It Wasn't Coming To Them..
You can make claims about packaging and weapons and what they did "wrong". At the heart of the matter- They were making the candy for dispensaries. And Even if some kid gets it- everything would be OK. They had dosage labels- One of the main arguments against is unregulated dosage from "the more potent weed of the future". They probably had weapons permits. Candy companies who own the real candy bars would probly go into business WiTh these people if it were legal. The only thing they did wrong was break the Marijuana fed laws. They were even following state laws? (Right?) What a bunch of B.S. They probly just needed some extra cash so they stole it and got some headlines too.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on March 17, 2006 at 14:10:23 PT

Dr Ganj 
The whole war against Cannabis is insane to me. I think people out in California are way more gutsy then any other place. Maybe it's something in the air. Yup that's it. The air. Maybe they should arrest the air and lock it up where none of you can get your hands on it. That will do! LOL!
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Comment #9 posted by Dr Ganj on March 17, 2006 at 14:04:03 PT

Hi FoM!
Hello FoM!
I'm back, and I'm ready to post.
Can you imagine the federal prosecutors on this case, where they're explaining to the judge the horrific nature of this crime? Making candies with a little marijuana butter inside them, and trying to sell them? The audacity of such hardened criminals. I say life in solitary is even too good for these monstrous drug pushers. 
Certainly the feds must make room on their docket for a case of this magnitude. 70 agents, and several months of intense investigation is worth the expense and effort to rid our streets of excessive cannabis candy! To the gallows I say! Off with their heads! Let's make an example of such vile confectioners! Heck, let's even get Congress to enact an emergency law banning similar illicit enterprises worldwide! No more ganja candy! No more THC soda! No more REEFER BARS! We need more agents! We need more laws!
We must stop the scourge of Pot Tarts and Toca Cola! 
For the sake of the our country, the proliferation of Stoner Bars has got to end!
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on March 17, 2006 at 12:48:40 PT

Hi Dr Ganj 
Boy is it good to see you!
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Comment #7 posted by Dr Ganj on March 17, 2006 at 12:43:17 PT

Medical Candy? 70 Agents?
I've seen those at various clubs too, and I've always thought they were pushing it. Creative, yes. Funny, yes. But I think they should have labeled them with more medicinal terms like; "Medical Chocolate Kiss", or "Medicinal Munchie Bar". 
I'll bet some parent found one, or a teacher, and didn't think it was too cute, and called the fuzz.
But, did you read the part in the article where it said nearly 70 agents served search warrants to make the arrests. I can only guess how much that would cost in investigational fees, and now the legal fees to prosecute the would-be Charlie and The Chocolate Factory stoner group.
However, given the amount of total mayhem in Oakland, I think the funds required for this bust should have been allocated to something more egregious, like the soaring homicide rate in Oakland.
  
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Comment #6 posted by unkat27 on March 17, 2006 at 10:06:00 PT

DEA Fascists
are LEGAL THIEVES, nothing less.
Mad Krow's Drug War Pages
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Comment #5 posted by Hope on March 17, 2006 at 09:47:12 PT

Max...you're right. 
The cute labels were a bad idea along with the overpriced weak medicinal value of their products. On the labels...it looks like they would have at least been worried that the big corporations whose designs they copied would be a legal danger to them, as well.While they may have been, on some level, trying to help...they've managed to set medical use back...again. Rather soundly, in fact.Some kids will eat anything...wrap it to make it look like regular treats...they for sure will. While if they had, it wouldn't have caused them great harm...it would have caused great trouble. We are about healing, truth, and avoiding trouble. They should have thought of that.A picture on the, perhaps, black label of someone puking or doubled over in agony would have been far more appropriate for medicinal use candies and drinks.:0(
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on March 17, 2006 at 09:33:01 PT

Max Flowers
It's nice to know that you don't understand some of it too. I thought I was alone and I just didn't understand Prop 215 at all.
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Comment #3 posted by Max Flowers on March 17, 2006 at 09:18:36 PT

Wow
I just read it again and saw that they had weapons too. How stupid. If you look around and find you're making hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of pot candy bars that are probably going to make the cops and community mad, and you're packing guns for self-defense against armed robbery, it may be time to reassess your career.If they were that big, and couldn't get protection from the cops, then the system ain't workin'.FoM, sometimes I don't understand some of the things that go on either.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on March 17, 2006 at 08:34:00 PT

Max Flowers 
Thank you. I just don't understand some of the things that go on in California when it comes to Prop 215.
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Comment #1 posted by Max Flowers on March 17, 2006 at 08:30:44 PT

They asked for it
I guess they thought it was cute making all the labels to be look-alikes to major candy brands. Cute, maybe, but definitely dumb also. They could have easily foreseen pissing off cops and others who would be worried that kids could get a hold of them, which is a logical enough fear I guess. Kids would defintely be curious about them in any case since they made the labels to look very close to real ones (almost counterfeit-close). All it takes is a sloppy med patient to leave one sitting around, add a curious 5-year-old, and you have an "overdose" incident. We regulars on this site all know that even that situation would pose no serious harm to the kid, but the DEA doesn't know/care.Basically, the "canna-candy" makers handed the feds a reason to come get them on a silver platter.Also, their candy was a ripoff... I tried some as medicine once and it was like $8 for a candy bar that had almost no effect (others I talked to found them very weak also). They were raking in the bucks and not offering much relief in exchange. I don't like to see anyone get busted, but I won't exactly lose any sleep over these guys' predicament. 
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